1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a separable buckle for interconnecting two parts of a tension member, i.e. a belt, strap, cord, or other flexible element of substantially uniform thickness which is capable of taking tensile loads.
Buckles of this kind are used together with a strap or other tension member to form a strapping device which can be tightened around an object or objects by pulling a strap part running through the buckle. The strap can then be held in tightened condition by frictional self-locking action of the buckle on the strap. Because of the separability of the buckle members it is not necessary to pull the running strap part through the buckle all the way from or to a free end of the running strap part when the strapping device is to be applied to or removed from the object.
2. Prior Art:
An example of such strapping devices is disclosed in Swedish Patent No. 453,257 and takes the form of a so-called venostat (or tourniquet). A venostat is applied and tightened around the upper part of the arm of a patient when a blood sample is to be drawn from the bend of the patient's arm so that the veins are compressed and the blood flow through them is blocked. When blocking of the blood flow through the veins is no longer required, the venostat is released by separating the buckle members; because of the separability of the buckle members, there is no need for first widening the loop formed by the venostat and then sliding the venostat along the patient's arm.
Other examples of prior art separable buckles are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,496,305 and 3,566,454 and in French Patent No. 1,170,404.